Exposure to smoking is a public health problem not very often explored in blood banks. This study was carried out for the purpose of making these data available to other researchers in order to develop new interdisciplinary studies concerning the blood quality donated by smokers. Exposure to smoking was measured by a questionnaire applied to 3.000 individuals who donated blood in the Hemocentro Regional of Lages through a clinical selection regularly done with the candidates. Among the 3.000 individuals 373 (12.4%) were cigarette smokers, males (66.5%), white people (77.2%), and between 18 and 35 years of age (57.5%). The educational degree was elementary school (42.1%). Considering the previous donations, 43.1% were donors for the first time, 56.9% were used to donate blood frequently. The number of cigarettes smoked daily from 1 to 5 was 30.8% and from 6 to 10, 33.2%. Haematocrit and hemoglobin values comparing smokers and non-smokers differ meaningfully. Smoking prevalence in these selected donators was considered small and did not affect the blood quality since the percentage due to problems about carboxihemoglobin is related to tobacco users who were the minority group. The profile of smoking addicted donators should be regarded in order to obtain some information through educational and preventive campaigns.
Cigarette; smoking; hemoglobin; haematocrit; blood donors
